


Of mistletoes and plant dads

by softlvs



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Space, Choi Jongho is Whipped, M/M, Platonic Kissing, Romantic Kissing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, for wooyoung, i think this might be a tiny bit funny, jongho accidentally becomes a plant dad, jongho will never look at a mistletoe the same way again, lots of kisses, not beta-ed we die like wwx, wooyoung cries because he is a drama queen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:27:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,889
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28343895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/softlvs/pseuds/softlvs
Summary: In his mission to get mistletoes to fulfil Wooyoung's dream, Jongho accidentally becomes a plant dad a week before Christmas.
Relationships: Choi Jongho/Jung Wooyoung, slight Choi San/Park Seonghwa
Comments: 2
Kudos: 50





	Of mistletoes and plant dads

**Author's Note:**

> this is my gift to anaidxa for the writiny secret santa! it's is a little late but i really hope that you enjoy this!! i saw space and flowers and kisses and got carried away a bit ;; but i still hope you like it!! happy holidays and merry crisis!

Jongho swears this is an accident. He did not mean to make his room into a flower nursery, he just wanted to grow one mistletoe plant for Christmas. Somehow in the journey to gain that mistletoe plant, now his room looked like a herobologist lived there. And it wasn’t just mistletoe. Jongho couldn't even count the different types of flowers growing here. From camellias to a fucking florescent flower he is sure is something straight from the experimental labs of Galaxy #5, Jongho has had a hard time tracking down even the names of some others. 

So how did he end up here? Well for that we will have to rewind two weeks back, to when Wooyoung was drunk and rambling about Christmas and how in some old movies and books that he came across, had humans in love kissing under them as a Christmas tradition. He had looked so excited at the idea even though Jongho had found it an absolutely useless tradition, because why in the world would you install mistletoes around your home only in the hopes of getting a kiss form the one you loved? It sounded like his worst nightmare but Wooyoung had insisted it was romantic and cute and Jongho wouldn’t it be so cute to kiss your crush under one?

He had tried to forget the whole idea, tried to write it off as another one of Wooyoung’s flimsy musings but it had persisted in his head. Most importantly it was the look in Wooyoung’s face, soft and yearning for something so sweet which was stuck in his head, distracting him from his job and in classes, and making him nearly fail a pseudo mission. It was during the scolding he got from his mentor for his poor performance in the pseudo mission he had decided that enough was enough, he had to do something about this. 

That something had landed him in Planet#450, Chrus, in one of their infamous night markets. Night markets was just another way of saying Illegal markets on Chrus. Now everyone would wonder as to why exactly was one of the most uptight person of Planet#4.5 on Chrus wandering around a night market of all places? 

To look for mistletoe plants of course. 

Jongho knew it was stupid, the man who had sold him the seeds knew it was stupid, the cat who lived in cardboard box in the under his apartments had thrown him a look which meant even she knew it was stupid. But Wooyoung’s soft expression had not left his mind and if this was one way to get rid of it, one way to somehow make the elder smile and live out one of his fantasies, then Jongho would take it. It was pathetic, if any of his friends caught a whiff of what he was doing they’d laugh in his face. Jongho realised that he did not care. As long as it would get Wooyoung to beam at him with that brilliant smile of his, Jongho did not care. 

Jongho is a man in love looking to impress, he  _ did not care _ what anyone would think about him,  _ or  _ the consequences of his actions. 

He had come home, grabbing a few flower pots from an actual market on the way, and had planted a few of the seeds. 

The seller had guaranteed fast results and good quality which is exactly what Jongho had been looking for because there was exactly 2 weeks to christmas and he needed the mistletoe before the fated day. 

It would both be a surprise and a gift for Wooyoung who was away on a retrieval mission with Yeosang, and would be back on Christmas Eve. 

Jongho should have anticipated just how fast these plants would be growing. He should have done more research on mistletoes and should have known that first he had to grow or find an actual tree to get a mistletoe plant because they were a parasite, not an actual plant. Somehow, the seller or the person who had actually made the seeds had probably had the foresight that the ones buying these seeds wouldn’t know what a mistletoe actually was.    
  
And that is how Jongho now has a fucking tree of all things in his room. Not to mention, that the rest of the seeds he had planted in the other pots just in case he killed some of them(he doesn’t exactly have a green thumb) had turned out to be seeds for other types of flowers and trees. 

He now has one fir tree(which he begrudgingly thinks he can turn into a christmas tree), a daisy bush and a camellia tree. There is the short tree of those fluorescent flowers which looked like they would poison them if he even touched them, and of course there is another small tree which had the mistletoe growing on it. There is a rose bush and a fucking mini forest of cactus(Jongho had taken a double take when he had spotted it), and there is chrysanthemums, forget me nots and geraniums as well as plenty of non earth plants that Jongho still hasn’t found the names of. 

How in the world are all these plants alive in his house? Well his home AI is to blame for that. They had made the perfect conditions for each of the seeds, having apparently scanned all of them and figured out what each one of them would grow up to be, and made perfect growing conditions for each. They had even gone ahead and ordered more soil and the necessary pots and help for it when Jongho was out at work. 

They have  _ never _ put in this much effort Jongho since he got them, and he has to admit he feels betrayed. When he had admitted the same to them, they had just huffed at them and made his bed colder than he ever remembered it being and refused to cook for him next morning, making him late for training because he hadn’t cooked in such a long time and had somehow messed up making a fucking sandwich. 

Jongho swears that if Wooyoung doesn’t appreciate his damn mistletoes and becomes his boyfriend, then he is murdering him, crushes be damned. 

There is still one week left until Christmas, one week for him to find new homes for most of his plants except the fir tree and the mistletoe. His AI, affectionately called the Bastard by him, is not going to be happy and he is going to lose all his dignity when his friends find out about this but Jongho at this point just wants the damn plants out of his house because no matter where his eyes land, there is a plant.

In his bedroom, in the mantle above his faux fireplace, in the balcony and in the windowsills of all his windows, in the kitchen, in the corridor, in the fucking bathroom of all places and even his guest bedroom, there’s plants. Wherever he goes he finds himself with a face full of greenery and it’s driving him crazy. 

Changbin laughs when he comes over and spots all of them, because he is  such _ a great friend _ . 

“Why do you have a nursery in your house?” He asks mirthfully, rightfully curious because Jongho has never ever expressed an interest in being a plant dad. 

“Choose a damn plant and don’t ask too many questions.” Jongho grumbles and Changbin just laughs harder. The fluorescent plant is first to go, because apparently Changbin’s boyfriends would love it.

Slowly, over the week, he invites each friend who has shown even the slightest interest in being plant dads, to come over and choses a plant to keep or to gift. His AI has decided to never cook for him not but it's okay, they will get over it. No one from his closest friend groups are yet told about this because a. they are too busy and b. they would probably figure out immediately just why Jongho was in the possession of a whole greenroom of plants. 

However, he had kept one flower from each of the plants, because his AI had not allowed his friends to leave until they did so. By the time Christmas eve rolls around, Jongho has one fir tree he has been decorating over the week, the “mistletoe” tree which looks dead and is probably dead thanks to the five bunches of mistletoe growing on it, and one bouquet with the most bizarre selections of flowers. 

His space still smells like flowers and soil, as well as has a shitton of pollen in the air because his AI also refuses to do an air filtering which means he spends the week wearing a mask in his own goddamn house. 

The one upside that he is able to get a decent number of mistletoes to hang around the house. He hopes they’re not taken advantage of but he knows that is too much to hope for. His friends being the little shits they are, are absolutely going to take advantage of them to kiss each other. 

And he is right, When San and Seonghwa come over on Christmas Eve night, they take one look at the mistletoe hung up on the house entrance and proceed to make out without even bothering to close the door. Jongho has to wrestle the two inside and close the door and his AI just joins in with the other two to cackle at his scandalized expression. 

“What did you think would happen under a mistletoe my dear Jongho?” San teases.

“Not you both making out like you were about to have sex right there if i hadn’t stopped you thats for sure you.” 

“It’s us Jongho-yah,” Seonghwa had said with mischief in his voice. 

“And you’re supposed to be the responsible hyung!” Jongho says threateningly pointing the chopsticks in his hand at Seonghwa. 

“Responsibility is nothing but a social construct made to tie down people!” Seonghwa proclaims indigantly, and Jongho can’t help his disbelieving laugh at it. San excitedly of course nods along, because he is a little shit _ and _ Seonghwa is his boyfriend, and it earns both of them a smack for their trouble. 

“M not going to give you your christmas gift,” San threatens and Jongho just gives him his best threatening smile, “I would like to see you try.”   
  
All in all it’s a productive christmas Eve. They finish decorating the Christmas tree and help Jongho in putting up even more mistletoes and then they bake cookies and cake. One batch doesn’t have enough sugar and one they have to throw out since it’s burnt beyond belief(that got is AI filtering out the air Ha!). They try to bring up the topic of why Jongho has suddenly hung up mistletoes around the house twice but each time he glares at them till they shut up. 

Those bastards giggle within themselves because they know exactly why, (Wooyoung had talked about mistletoes the whole goddamn night to anyone who would listen and his crush on Wooyoung wasn’t exactly a well kept secret) they just want to see him suffer. 

Jongho is tempted to pull out the very expensive wine bottle he got for birthday and he has been saving for a special occasion but then remembers Wooyoung and doesn’t. They only head to bed when Hongjoong arrives at four am and nags them for not sleeping because tomorrow is going to be a huge day and they have to be well rested for it! The three claim the guest bedroom and Jongho takes his own bedroom, one last night of having his bed all to himself before the rest arrive and take over his house for a week. 

Morning comes with a fresh shower of snow and someone excitedly singing old Earthen Christmas carols. Jongho thinks he hears someone make out and it’s enough to get him out of his bed to check who is performing such blasphemy in his sacred house. 

Of course it’s San and Seonghwa. _ Again.  _ Because the first time and the second time wasn’t enough. They’re kissing each other at ten am in the morning underneath the mistletoe hung up in the corridor because for the third time. 

Hongjoong is filming them, egging them on and Mingi is looking at them with a mixture of amusement and want. God, the mistletoes were such a bad idea. If it wasn;t for the fact that Wooyoung had a vested interest in kissing underneath one then he would have never put them up. 

“Jongho! We have to kiss him!” A familiar voice says and Jongho lets out a loud unmanly screech as he is jumped on by Yunho who is adamant on at least pressing one kiss on his cheek. Jongho tries to get away but Yunho has none of it and the rest of his hyungs just laugh with Hongjoong even saying “Do it for the tradition Jongho-yah!”. San says that bad luck falls upon those who refuse a kiss under a mistletoe and Jongho has had enough of that, so he indulges them and allows Yunho to press a loud slobbery kiss on his cheek puffy with sleep. The whole house lets out a loud cheer as if it was their favorite sports team scoring a goal and not Jongho getting kissed at 10am in the morning. 

Jongho wants new friends. 

Wooyoung is not around to watch this, thank god. Jongho isn’t quite sure as to he would feel if Wooyoung was watching him get kissed. He has embarrassed himself in front of his crush enough times and he really isn’t itching to add one more tally to that number anytime soon. 

After that, Jongho ensures to not be caught under any more mistletoes. His hyungs however have no such reservations or a lick of shame, even Hongjoong who used to claim he hates kisses. 

Jongho finds himself witnessing his hyungs kiss each other every time one of them so much as puts a toe under a mistletoe. So far Yunho and Mingi have made out with Yunho’s leg around Mingi’s waist, Seonghwa and Hongjoong have shared the cheesiest kiss he has ever had the pleasure of watching(not even the kisses in cheesy movies are  _ this cheesy _ ), San and Mingi kiss like it was their first time complete with shy giggles and some awkward nose bumping involved. Each and every one of them is filmed, even the kiss that Yunho gave him because his friends hate him. 

“Memories Jongho-yah!” Mingi had said with a laugh when Jongho had tried to get the camera to delete the video. 

All of this occurs _ before  _ Jongho is able to get his precious coffee. He swears he did not sign up for this as he gets his coffee ready. However he can’t bring himself to be too mad, even when Hogjoong is forced to give him a kiss under the mistletoe in the kitchen entrance. They’re the happiest they have been in a while, and Jongho for all his grumblings and sighing and swearing is nothing but a sap for their smiles. 

The pile of gifts under the tree is left unopened because Wooyoung and Yeosang aren’t here yet. It’s still an intimidatingly huge one, and Jongho chokes on his coffee when he notices the gift package that looks like a gun. 

The rest of them focus on making lunch and dinner as they wait for Wooyoung and Yeosang to join them. Jongho decides to take advantage of the hot water to take a bath and relax. His AI had not allowed him to even take a bath in hot water because they were an asshole and held the worst grudges. 

Since his friends were here, they were playing nice and jongho is glad they’re going to be staying a week. He didn’t really want to reprogram his AI like he has had to fo a few other times when things had gotten ugly between them. The bath makes him forget his worries, about the fact that he will probably have to find an excuse to catch Wooyoung under a mistletoe to kiss him and possibly confess, about the fact that his hyungs were probably destroying his precious kitchen and the video of hongjoong and Yunho kissing him. 

A loud, “We are here!” from a voice that Jongho has been waiting to hear since three weeks has him immediately slipping out of the bath and dressing himself up as presentably as possible. He had a man to woo today and thus out comes his very earthen, very early 2000s suit and tie. The rest have picked their favorite era’s suits to dress too so it’s not like he will stand out too much. He steals San’s hair gel to push his hair back, knowing just how much it affected everyone when they saw it. He hoped it would make Wooyoung look at him a bit differently too. 

A little bit of makeup courtesy of his AI and he is ready. Well, as ready as he can be physically. Mentally he isn;t sure he will ever be ready, but Jongho has always been a strong man, his parents have brought him up to always be ready to face any challenge head on. Wooyoung is different, more scarier than any other challenge he has ever faced, because Jongho is sure he is in love with the slightly older boy. If all doesn’t go to plan, Jongho would possibly end up losing a friendship, and so many other things could go horribly wrong. But there is a chance, no matter how small it is, there is a chance that things will go right and he has to take it even if it kills him. It’s always all or nothing for him and he isn;t about to change that now. 

The bouquet of flowers had been carefully arranged by yesterday, before his first guests had arrived. He had gone a step further and even researched the meaning of the flowers in the bouquet and carefully jotted it down on his phone. He had removed those which meant something meant and kept all the good, because the sunshine of his life only deserved the good this world had to offer. And he couldn’t ensure this in everything that happened in Wooyoung’s life but if he could ensure small good things like flowers with their vast language, then that had to be enough for now.

The bouquet is safely put away in his secret drawer, which usually is empty because he has nothing to hide from his friends and hyungs but this one, he only wanted it to be for Wooyoung’s eyes. 

It would come out later, if Wooyoung said yes, then Jongho would bring it out. He didn’t want to think about what he would do with it if Wooyoung didn’t say yes. He couldn’t, otherwise he would never be able to confess. 

He takes in a deep breath, steeling his nerves, checking himself out one last time in the mirror and then takes a brave step out of the safety of the bathroom, and towards the living room where Wooyoung would no doubt be waiting to greet him. 

The kitchen is abandoned as he passes by, everyone no doubt gathered in the living room to open their gifts now that Wooyoung and Yeosang are there. There is minimal noise coming from the general direction of the living room which makes just a little bit suspicions but he chalks it up to his Confession Nerves and keeps walking forward.

  
As soon as he steps into the living room, he finds himself with an armful of an excited Wooyoung. His heart skips a beat, at the familiar voice and embrace, at the way Wooyoung nestles his head into the crook of his neck and warps his hands around his waist, at the way he sighs an murmurs a “i missed you jongho-yah”, and hopes to all gods that Wooyoung doesn’t realise how first his heart was beating. 

They hug for a beat too long, and Jongho would have not moved from it all if it was up to him(he loves hugs. He may hate kisses but a nothing beats the warmth that comes from hugging a loved one) but Wooyoung unfortunately has other things to do, like change into something else more appropriate for christmas day than his mission suit, or get actual coffee, or hug someone else and Jongho begrudgingly lets him go. 

“Hey look, he’s standing under a mistletoe,” someone says and Jongho immediately feels a headache incoming. Sure, he wants to kiss Wooyoung, preferably today and under a mistletoe, but Wooyoung has just arrived. Isn’t this a bit too soon?   
  


He pretends that he didn’t hear but Wooyoung, clearly has because he looks up, spots the mistletoe and his whole face brightens. 

“Jongho, you remembered?” He sounds impossibly soft and happy and Jongho can’t help the red that rises on his cheeks.

“Yeah it’s nothing,” He says suddenly feeling shy and small, one hand coming to rub at his neck bashfully. 

“Thank you,” Wooyoung murmurs, soft and fond, one hand coming to rest on his face.

For a moment it’s like time has slowed down. Wooyoung’s hand stays there, a thumb slowly stroking his cheek in a manner a bit more intimate(or was he imagining that in his head) than the situation called for, and they just stare into each other’s eyes as if waiting for the other to make a move.

Jongho wants to tell himself he imagines the way Wooyuoung’s dip down to his lips, wants to tell himself he’s being delusional when he spots red on his Wooyoung’s cheeks, wants to tell himself that he’s an idiot in love seeing things when Wooyoung’s looks at Jongho as if he’s his whole world, but when a chapped pair of lips land on his, soft and tentative, he knows it’s real. 

His eyes widen in surprise, and he is shutting them just as quickly and kissing the elder back when he tries to pull away, thinking that his surprise was rejection. It’s not, and for all that Jongho hates kisses, finds the sound of it weird and disgusting, he doesn’t want to stop kissing him. 

When Jongho’s slip around Wooyoung’s waist to bring him closer, and Wooyoung’s hand find itself at the back of his head, and when Wooyoung tilts his head to the side to deepen the kiss, Jongho knows that this is real. He is kissing Wooyoung, and Wooyoung might also like him the way Jongho likes him. 

He feels something wet on his face and pulls away from the kiss in surprise. Wooyoung is crying, tears rolling down his cheeks and Jongho feels small and wrong. Did he do this wrong? What was wrong?

“Hyung?” He asks small ans scared, “What’s wrong?”

“Wooyoung-ah?” Seonghwa questions. The hall is silent, waiting with baited breaths for an explanation which Wooyoung doesn’t look very ready to provide. 

“Did I do something wrong?” Jongho can’t help but ask, hands slipping away from Wooyoung’s waist to instead lie at his side useless, curling into a fist and then opening again in a nervous habit. 

“No. No you didn’t. I’m sorry.” Wooyoung murmurs and then looks up, eyes open and lgassy trying to stop his tears. 

Yeosang snorts breaking the sudden somber atmosphere, “Jongho don’t worry, he’s just being dramatic.”    
  
“I'm not being dramatic,” Wooyoung petulant whines.    
  
Jongho is still confused. He did nothing wrong? And Wooyoung was just being dramatic? It still didn’t answer his question as to why exactly it was that Wooyoung was crying. 

“It’s just. It was a nice kiss.” Wooyoung mumbles.

“SO you cried?” Jongho winces at how loud he sounds but this is incredulous. Who cried when they kissed and found it good? It wasn’t even all that, Jongho can kiss better than that and he is sure that WOoyoung would perform so much better with moisturized lips. 

“Oh my god this is so stupid, just tell him Wooyoung,” San huffs and Wooyoung shoots hima glare. 

“Tell me what?” Jongho is just so confused.    
  


Wooyoung blinks and then turns to him. 

“Jongho-yah,” Wooyoung starts, “would you like to go out with me?” 

Jongho feels like he’s heard wrong. What? 

“What?” He squawks, suddenly feeling very very confused. Wooyoung’s eyes widens in surprise, seemingly expecting a different response. 

“I mean, i understand if you don’t want, i am not exactly- y'know, not good, and I'm loud and annoying and, i know- um, you know,-”   
  


“Yes.”

This time it’s Wooyoung turn to gawk at him. Somewhere between Wooyoung asking him out(WHAT??????) and his consequent rambling, Jongho’s brain had started working again and pointed out how his longtime crush was asking him out. He ought to say yes, right? Even though he had been planning on confessing, he didn' mind the turn of events. As long as the outcome was them dating he didn’t mind anything. 

He laughs at Wooyoung’s flustered expression. 

“Yes hyung, I wanna go out with you.”   
  
“Seriously?”   
  
“Seriously.” Jongho grabs Wooyoung’s hands to hold in his own. “I have liked you for a long time, and i was planning to ask you out today but i guess you beat me to it.” He knows he's smiling like a fool but he couldn’t be happier.

Wooyoung shakes himself out of his stupor and sends him the most brilliant smile that could rival the sun’s brightness. 

“I like you too. Do you want to be my boyfriend?” His confidence is back, and his tears are gone. He leans forward to steal one more kiss. 

Jongho wasn't this happy even when he had made it to first place in the arm wrestling contest. 

  
"Yes. I want to be your boyfriend." Because there is no other answer to that question but yes. 

The whole room erupts in cheers and Jongho grins like a fool at his hyung, his sunshine and now his boyfriend? He isn’t sure, but he is sure that Wooyoung is now his. After months of pining, Jongho finally has found himself a boyfriend. 

The rest of the afternoon passes in a blur of opening gifts(the gun packaging actually had a perfume set and Jongho is  _ so glad _ ) and having lunch and playing some games that Yeosang bought back from their mission. There’s more kissing too, involving Wooyoung and Yeosang this time because they missed out that morning. Hongjoong screams when Mingi presses a kiss to his cheek and Jongho gets to film it. He considers it his payback and yells, “Do it for the tradition” because he is a petty little shit like that. 

He tries to sneakily get rid of some of the mistletoes because for god's sake he doesn’t want to be kissed every time he comes back to the living room from the bathroom but everyone loudly protest and Hongjoong even pulls out a stun gun from somewhere, waving it threateningly at Jongho.

When evening rolls around, Seonghwa and Wooyoung take over the kitchen once again and end up making the best Christmas dinner that Jongho has had the pleasure of tasting(after his mom’s of course).

He even breaks out his wine, the very fancy and very expensive one and San pulls out a bottle that looks like illegal alcohol and everyone gets pleasantly buzzed. 

Throughout the entire time, through all the photos and the kisses and the food and the stockings and the Christmas crackers that Yunho procures, Wooyoung is there by his side. Throughout all the kisses Wooyoung is there to press any extra one. Wooyoung is there even when everyone starts falling asleep, warm and comfortable in his lap giggling at Yeosang who looks like he is trying very hard to focus on the game of Snap but is clearly too drunk. He's there when Hongjoong quizzes him as to how he ended up in the possession of mistletoes considering they only grew on earthen soil and Jongho, drunk and too happy to care accidentally divulges the past weeks events. He's there, laughing and thanking him profusely and pressing a wet kiss to his cheek as an apology when Jongho pouts at him. 

He’s there when Jongho changes from his suit into his bear pajamas, and he's there, happy and shocked out of his mind(with tears making another short return) when Jongho presents him the bouquet and points out the meaning of all the flowers in it(pink camellias for his yearning, red camillias for his heart, white ones because wooyoung is absolutely adorable, a red chrysanthemum whose meaning he skips over entirely which a blush on his face, daisies for the hope he held, a geranium to show his adoration for their friendship, a red rose again skipped, a pink rose for happiness and many more whose meanings he wasn't able to find). And he’s there on his bed to cuddle and hold as he falls asleep, humming a sweet lullaby only for Jongho's ears.

He’s there next morning, softly whispering Good morning and hiding his face in the crook of his neck. He’s there, real and returning Jongho’s feelings and Jongho isn’t sure he believes in Christmas miracles, but this seems close to one. 

  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> red camelias and red roses both mean 'i love you'.  
> twt: deardarkdesires (please only follow if you're over 18!!)


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